Shoe



June 24, 1930. I c, LAIBLE 1,767,801

SHOE

Filed Jan. 27, 1928 mow . A TTORNE 1 .1

Patented June 24, I930 CHARLES L. LAIBLE, OF FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY SHOEApplication filed January 27, less. Serial No. 250,046.

My invention relates to the general class of shoes, particularly weltshoes, which have shank stiffening and arch supporting devicesincorporated in their structures.

7, In combination with a shank stiffener and arch supporting device, itis the object of my invention to insert in a shoe a pad which will beoperatively connected to the shank stiffener and which will provide aflexible o cushion like support to the foot in that portion of thebottom thereof on which a callus is likely to be formed by the fallingof the metatarsal arch. A further object is the provision of a resilientpad of unusual shape 1.? which fits on the end of a shank stiffenermember to which it is preferably attached, and which is provided withrecesses several of which are disposed along the front edge of thestiffener piece to increase the flexii-ro bility along this line so thatthe pad will bend relative to the stiff shank piece along this line.Broadly it is the object of my invention to provide a shank stiffenerand metatarsal arch support which will press upwardly against the insoleof the shoe so as to support the foot comfortably during the differentpositions of walking movement.

The above and other objects to which reference will be made during theensuing disclosure I accomplish by that certain combination andarrangement of parts of which I have shown a preferred embodin ent.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of the shank stiffenerand arch supporting piece.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bot-tom plan view of the M assembly shown in Figures land2.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a welt shoe in process of manufacturewith my novel supporting device in position, the shoe being in thatstage of manufacture in which the piece is usually inserted.

Figure 5 is a sectional viewtaken along the lines 5-5 in Figure 4.

I The shank stiffener piece which is ordinarily of metal has a fluted,curved shank body 1,. and the body may or may not have small tonguespierced out. of the body to iinbed themselves in the outsole of theshoe. The forward end 3 of the shank stiffener piece is enlarged, and aresilient pad genorally indicated at 4-, and preferably of roundedshape, is attached to the forward end of the enlarged part 3. r In orderto have the pad flexibly supported I have found that if a recessedportion 5 h made in the face which engages the piece a, and the piece atis secured to the pad-approximately along a segment extending across it,the forward end of the pad will be free to bend with the movement of thefoot within the shoe. The pad will also fit more readily within '65 theshoe without bulging.

The pad on its upper face, which engages the insole of the'shoe may beprovided. with depressions, which assistv in establishing a line alongwhich the pad will bend. The depressions also permit the pad to be more.resilient and cushion like when under pressure.

In assembling the shoe the upper 6 is attached to the insole 7 with thewelt strip 8. 7 The shank stiffened piece is then inserted with the padbearing against the lower surface of the insole. A cementitious fillingsuch as ground cork will preferably then be applied to fill in thecavity formed between the feathered ribs of the welt and the shoe isready to have the outsole stitched to the welt strip.

The shoe, after being finished, may be worn by a person afflicted withfalling of the metatarsal arch with great relief. My novel type of shoeis further corrective in its effect on the wearers foot.

In order to indicate the support which mynovel type of shoe offers itmay bewell to discuss the action of the arch supporting piece during thenormal movement of the foot in walking. Beginning first with the fiootfiat against the fioor, therubber pad is gently forced up against theback curve of the ball of the foot by the pressure of the shankstiffener. During the next movement of the foot when the toe is inclineddownwardly and supports the weight of the body, the pad is pressedagainst the lower curve of the ball of the foot with greater pressure.This increased pressure comes at a time when the person walking willexperience no inconvenience due to the pressure. Then when the foot israised clear of the ground the pad tends to beheld against the insole bythe vacuum cups.

While others have attempted to accom-' plish somewhat the same resultsas I have herein disclosed, such for example as is suggested in theDunbar Patent #1,].74:,l33 I have experimented with suchcombinations vand find that unless the shank stiffener has a pad attached to it insuch a way that the pad will flex about the end of the stiffener piecethat the same degree of comfort in wearing the shoe cannot be obtained.I therefore claim the equivalents of the com- 7 bination hereindisclosed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is

1. A shoe having a stiff shank stiffener retained between the insole andthe outsole thereof, and having a resilient pad attached to the forwardend of the stifiener piece,

and said pad having a bearing surface to abut the lower surface of theshoe insole, said surface being indented with cup like depressions toincrease the flexibility of the pad and to establish a predeterminedflex line.

2. A shoe having a stiff shank stiffener retained between the insole andthe outsole thereof, and having a resilient pad attached 7 to theforward end of the stiffener piece, said pad being so attached to theend of the stiffener piece that it will flex along the line 4. Incombination with a welt shoe, a stiff arch stiffening member and acircular resilient pad disposed between the inner sole and the outsoleof the shoe, said pad having depressions therein, and said pad beingsup- CHARLES L. LAIBLE.

of a segment thereof, and said pad having a bearing surface to abut thelower surface of the shoe insole, said surface being indented with cuplike depressions to increase the flexibility of the pad and to establisha predetermined flex line.

8. A shoe having a stiff shank stiffener and arch supporting memberincorporated I within its structure, said member having a forward endwhich lies in the shoe under the back of the ball of the foot of awearer, and a flexible pad attached to the forward end of said memberand extending beyond said end toward the tip of the shoe, said flexiblepad having cup-like depressions in the upper surface thereof whichproduce a flex line along the front edge of the stiffener.

